Nau mai haere mai ki tēnei wāhi haumaru o
Kia Kaha Māmā.
Nau mai, haere mai e hoa,
You have found your way here for a reason.
Perhaps you are a māmā seeking support, a wāhine ready to reconnect with your wellbeing, a midwife looking for mentoring or practice guidance, or an organisation searching for kaupapa Māori maternal and neonatal advisory expertise.
However you arrived, nau mai. You are welcome here.
I'm Kaniwa - a registered midwife, kaupapa Māori maternal and neonatal wellbeing consultant, wellbeing coach, mentor, researcher, writer, author, facilitator, garden bumpkin and celestial seeker.
Kia Kaha Māmā was born at the end of 2019, grounded in more than 15 years of experience across midwifery, maternity care, whānau wellbeing, kaupapa Māori service design, advocacy, research and education. It is a space where clinical knowledge, mātauranga Māori, lived experience, wairuatanga, and practical support are woven together - strengthening wāhine, māmā, pēpi, whānau, practitioners, and the systems that serve them.
Most importantly, I work with anyone who is looking for the contribution of all that makes up my pukenga | skillsets, passions and desire to raise the next generation of leaders and caring for the world for our coming mokopuna to enjoy.
My Vision
I believe every wahine carries deep wisdom within her body, whakapapa, te whare tangata, intuition and wairua.
Kia Kaha Māmā exists to support wāhine to amplify their mauri, trust their inner knowing, and move through life, hapūtanga, māmāhood, healing, leadership, and professional growth with confidence and connection.
This mahi is grounded in the belief that maternal wellbeing is never just physical. It is spiritual, emotional, ancestral, relational, cultural, political and deeply connected to the worlds we live within.
Whether supporting māmā, mentoring a midwife, advising a service, facilitating a wānanga, writing for public education, or advocating within healthcare systems, the intention remains the same: to manaaki mauri, deepen connection and create pathways towards wellbeing and transformation.
About me: A Māmā, A Consultant, a Garden Bumpkin & a Celestial Seeker.
By day, I work as an Indigenous maternal health consultant, supporting kaupapa Māori service design, maternal and neonatal advisory, project development, research, advocacy and workforce education. I bring big-picture thinking, strategic insight, clinical and consumer experience to the kaupapa. All whilst raising my five tamariki and pets.
When my hinengaro needs replenishing, you'll find me hands deep in the whenua, growing māra kai, tending rongoā, and letting Papatūānuku remind me what no textbook ever could.
When the night sky calls, I'm usually stargazing, tracking the maramataka, and noticing how celestial movements speak to the rhythms, cycles, moods and energies of life.
Kia Kaha Māmā is built from all of these worlds: clinical expertise, kaupapa Māori practice, ancestral wisdom, grounded life experience, humour, intuition, strategy and wairua.
Services I provide
Kia Kaha Māmā is grounded in four pou of service: MANA Midwifery Consultancy, Wāhine Wellbeing Coaching and Mentoring, Business Operational and Project Management Support, and Public Education through Wānanga.
Together, these pou weave clinical midwifery knowledge, kaupapa Māori practice, lived experience, advocacy, strategy, and wairuatanga into practical support for wāhine, māmā, pēpi, whānau, practitioners, services, and organisations.
Whether through maternal and neonatal advisory, personal and professional development, business and project support, or wānanga-based education, Kia Kaha Māmā exists to strengthen wellbeing, support kaupapa-led practice, and contribute to meaningful change across maternity, health, and community spaces.
Wāhine mā | Ladies,
keep up to date with me on my socials!
Check out my blogs!
Welcome to a space where advocacy meets everyday empowerment! Dive into topics that matter—from reproductive justice and women’s rights to holistic wellbeing, whānau | family support, and more.
Whether you're seeking budgeting hacks, tips for urban homesteading, self-sustainability insights, or guidance on the maramataka, healthy relationships, and raising tamariki, you’ll find inspiration here for every facet of life.
Let’s journey together towards knowledge, balance, and a thriving future!
Testimonials
Kaniwa gently showed me after the birth of my son that I was in a relationship that did not value me, as a partner or as the mother of our new baby. She went above and beyond, cooking me food to eat, after I had given birth and had returned home. I had no family support and my (ex) partner worked on the farm. I learnt that I'm the architect of my own and my baby's future. I command my own value. Kaniwa sparked strength into me and she taught me how to exit safely a relationship riddled with domestic abuse, she kept in touch until I was safe with my family. I will never forget what you have done for me= and my baby.
CJ, Australia
Kaniwa is the “Kaha” in Kia Kaha Mama. She reminds me every day to step into my Kaha, my Mana and embrace all there is to being Wahine Māori. Sometimes we forget about the strength that we have, but Kaniwa will make sure you never forget you have it! Kia Kaha Mama embraces living life purposefully!
Cheanne, Gisborne
After having a traumatic birth as a 16 year old Mama to a prem baby, I didn't know that birth could be so EMPOWERING. She helped me to navigate through my pregnancy, I genuinely felt cared for and so did my friends and clients I knew who had been cared for by her too. Kaniwa helped me to see the power within me and change the way I had looked at birth. My journey with her, provided me with a healing birth experience, which directly impacted upon me as a Mama and allowed me to deeply bond with my daughter.
Tiare, Auckland
Kia Kaha Mama is a registered company in Aotearoa New Zealand.
You can search us in the NZBN Register here.
© 2026 Kia Kaha Mama.
All rights reserved. Content may not be copied, reproduced, or distributed without permission. Respect indigenous knowledge. Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui.
Proudly created with Wix.com
Email: kiakahamama@hotmail.com
Phone: +64 21 028 91937
